The present invention relates generally to storage containers and the like, and more particularly to rectangular storage containers or boxes having removable compartment dividers.
Storage cabinets having a multiplicity of molded plastic drawers or trays therein have been utilized for a number of years for storing small parts such as screws, nails, nuts, bolts, washers and the like. Some drawers for such cabinets are provided with vertically extending aligned grooves or other seating means in the opposed side walls which removably seat compartment dividers so as to form a multiplicity of storage areas which permit a varying variety of sizes or styles of small parts to be stored and categorized in a single drawer.
One of the major drawbacks of such prior art drawers or trays has been that the side edges of the compartment dividers are generally loosely held in their seats so that the dividers may move vertically. If this divider rises sufficiently, the small parts in adjacent storage areas may slip beneath the divider and comingle, thereby requiring the user to undertake the time consuming task of resorting the parts and undermining the purpose of providing the dividers.
Another problem associated with such compartment dividers has been that the lower edge has not been retained against lateral deflection. If there is a heavy load on one surface, there may occur deflection along the length of the divider sufficient to produce such a gap under the divider and allow comingling of the stored parts.
Finally, the dividers in the drawers generally meet the bottom wall at a right angle. Stored there parts such as small washers kept in a drawer become very difficult to remove since the storage areas are generally small in size and the parts tend to lodge in the sharp corner between the divider and the bottom wall.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel utility box having a multiplicity of compartment dividers for storing small parts and the like.
It is also an object to provide such a box which inhibits both lateral deflection and vertical movement of the dividers therein to prevent comingling of the stored parts.
A further object is to provide such a box which facilitates the removal of the stored parts from the compartments.